


Sorrow Songs

by ultraman64



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Feelings of disgust towards Incest, M/M, Parent/Child Incest, Raleigh is still a bro tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-01
Updated: 2013-08-01
Packaged: 2017-12-22 02:26:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/907782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultraman64/pseuds/ultraman64
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After saving the world, things sort of mellow out between Raleigh and Chuck. It might have something to do with almost dying, or maybe it has to do with the fact that they're no longer in any competition for being the best.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sorrow Songs

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a [prompt](http://pacificrimkink.livejournal.com/350.html?thread=1307998#t1307998) on the Pacific Rim Kink meme.
> 
> Title from the podcast "Welcome to Night Vale", ep11.

After saving the world, things sort of mellow out between Raleigh and Chuck. It might have something to do with almost dying, or maybe it has to do with the fact that they're no longer in any competition for being the best. Either way, the American is relieved that they can move passed their differences and be friends.  
  
Months pass, and Hercules Hansen takes over as Marshall of the Pan Pacific Defense Corp. and Raleigh can't think of a better commander to replace Pentecost. He's a good leader, confident and knows the horrors that the Kaiju war brought on so many. With people like Tendo and Newt and Hermann, he feels like the defense of the world will continue in the best of hands.  
  
For the older blond, he knows that he only stays for Mako and Chuck, yet Raleigh can feel himself getting restless. He misses being in the Jaeger, of fighting for something important, even if he doesn't miss the Kaijus or death. It's the fact everything feels like it comes to a standstill with his life. That not even when Yancy died, did he feel so out of place.  
  
"Well, what do you want to do?" Chuck asks, as the three former pilots sit in one of the higher landing of the hanger.  
  
"Before this, before the war, I had wanted to be a cop. Being a cop seemed cool." The blond smirks, sips his beer from the pack settled behind them.  
  
"I can't remember what I wanted to be," Mako admits as she smiles sadly. "I was so small when teach- Pentecost saved me. But he encouraged me to go into engineering, said I would be good at it."  
  
Chuck nodded next to them but shrugged when both sets of eyes turned to look at him. "I've been in the PPDC my whole life, and my dad was in the air-force before that. So was my grandfather and great grandfather... It's in the ol' family blood."  
  
The older man laughed and bumped his shoulder into the Aussie's. "You could always change that, do something else. Something you want."  
  
"No," Chuck said far more solemn than expected. "I can't leave my dad, I could never..."  
  
And both Mako and Raleigh get it, they do, because if it was Yancy or Stacker, they probably wouldn't leave either.  
  
~  
  
The years passed and they all went their separate ways.  
  
Mako is still in PPDC but the Japanese division, doing R & D work and putting people twice her age to shame. Raleigh went to Washington and became a cop, because there was no way he could return to Anchorage and not think about his family everywhere. Chuck remained true to his word, and followed after his father, from Hong Kong to Sydney, and acted as a liaison between Shatterdomes.  
  
Raleigh remained in close contact with them both, going to see them when he gets the chance, because they were the last of his family and that meant something.  
  
That's how Raleigh finds himself in the Sydney Shatterdome, looking like a fish out of water. He didn't realize how long it had been since being in this sort of place and moves out of the way as techs push passed him. There's so much activity that, for a second, the blond thinks they're preparing for another Kaiju attack. He almost expects to see Pentecost descend from some lift, barking orders and telling everyone to gear up.  
  
He shakes himself out of it, because the world has been at peace and has been recovering nicely from the 'War with the Rift' as some not so brilliant people call it. Raleigh swallows thickly and moves out of the hanger area, heading for the lifts and some familiar faces.  
  
The blond almost laughs when security stops him and he has to brandish his visitor's pass, because Raleigh was one of the people that saved the freakin' world, you'd think more people would remember him. But it was his own fault, the older man sighs as he steps into the elevators, heading up to the crew quarters. He was the one that wanted to get away from all this, away from the rules and regulations of the Pan Pacific Defense Corp. It may have been something that he wanted in his youth, but after the war, the blond wanted to do something, anything, else.  
  
And he did.  
  
Raleigh hefted his duffle bag strap higher onto his shoulder, smirking as he thought of the wedding invitations shoved into a book at the bottom. He couldn't wait to see his old friend, a surprising amount of excitement bubbling under the surface of his skin at the thought of Chuck's reaction to his news. It added a bounce to his steps, hurrying him off the elevator and rounded the first corner he saw.  
  
But just as abruptly, the blond backtracked, sucking in a startled breath as he pressed his back into the wall.  
  
A part of Raleigh wanted to deny what had just been seen, since there's no way that two people, that he admires and respects, weren't locking lips with each other. Weren't in the middle of the hallway, wrapped up in each the other man's arms and completely forgetting the outside the world.  
  
And those two people weren't father and son.  
  
~  
  
Raleigh is a coward and he's made painfully aware of this sitting near the elevators, he hugs his duffle bag while he waiting for Chuck to find him.  
  
He doesn't really know what he wants to say to the other man, if he can even face him. His mind keeps going over what he saw, of Herc and Chuck pressed close together and their faces, their lips-  
  
The blond can't help but grimace, wondering if anyone else knows, if anyone cares. Does the World Security Council know that the guy they have in charge of the PPDC is screwing his son? Do they allow it because he's been doing a good job? Hercules Hansen was the Pan Pacific Marshall, was the successor of Stacker Pentecost and was the kind of person to screw his own son.  
  
A small part of him panicked, yelling to run away and leave it alone. But Chuck was his friend, someone that he could trust and had been for a long time now. There was no way that Raleigh could turn his back and let something like this continue.  
  
"Hey! Raleigh!" He jerked his head up, startled to see Chuck jogging towards him. The man hadn't changed, still wearing cargo pants, dog tags and a bomber jacket, even if there were more wrinkles around his eyes. The Australian was smiling happily and reached out to help Raleigh up, who hesitated for a brief moment before grabbing the outstretched hand.  
  
"Chuck, hey." The blond smiled slightly, hefting his duffle into his arms and jerked his head to the side. "Can we talk privately? Please?"  
  
The younger man looked confused but nodded his head and gestured away. Slowly they made their way across the hanger, heading for some twisting and turning hallways that led into the belly of the Shatterdome. The entire time, Raleigh struggled to keep his panic and growing angry in check as he followed along. Everything that he knew about Herc was tainted now. Every achievement, every ounce of respect that he had for the old Australian commander was corrupted and wrong now and Raleigh was angry at Herc for it.  
  
"Chuck," Raleigh put his hand out, stopping them from going further when the American saw no one around them for a few minutes. "Listen, I-I saw you... You and Her- your father."  
  
That confusion returned to the younger man's face but then, slowly, his face changed into a more neutral look. He turned towards Raleigh, with a very carefully blank face.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Raleigh shouts, throwing his bag down and stepping forward. "You and him, together! Kissing! How long has this been happening? How long has he been abusing-"  
  
"Shut up." Chuck cuts his hand through the air, face flushed. "He's not abusing me, has never done that."  
  
"You were kissing!" Raleigh grits his teeth, forces himself to lower his voice. "Your father and, you're his son. You're- that sort of thing isn't right. Isn't normal!"  
  
The Australian turned his face away, look caught between anger and sorrow, before the anger won out. "Don't you dare go judging us. I love him, I love him and I know it's not normal but I. Don't. Care."  
  
The older man looked taken aback, startled at Chuck's anger. He wanted to grab the blond by the shoulders, but had the feeling that any touching would be met with violence and instead, clenched his hands into fists.  
  
"Are you telling me that...that you're okay with this, this relationship?"  
  
"We've been in a relationship even before you left. Before you left the PPDC." Chuck whispered. His own hands were clenched at his sides and Raleigh sucked in a breath. "And it wasn't him taking advantage of me. I... I wanted him and I got him."  
  
Raleigh licked his lips, because that, **that** he could believe. Chuck had never been the type to shy away from his feelings, throwing himself full forced into everything he did regardless of what it was. Even, apparently, being with his own father.  
  
For several minutes neither spoke, allowing the silence of the dim, unused hallways of the Sydney Shatterdome to press in all around them. Then the American let out a loud breath, dragging his hand over his face then hair. Chuck shifted, crossing his arms and looked off, staring at nothing down the hallway, waiting.  
  
Finally, Raleigh cleared his throat and the blond looked at him.  
  
"I'm guessing there was an ulterior motive to wanting to stay, from back when." He quirked his lips, trying to ease some of the tension out of them. "You know, because you guys were-"  
  
"You... really don't have to finish that." Chuck felt his own lips quirk and shook his head at him. "Because I know what you mean and I'm not having this conversation."  
  
The older man smiled and, hesitantly, stepped into blond's space and hugged him. Tightening his arms slightly, Raleigh bit his lip from saying any of the other thoughts raging in his head. Even if he didn't understand or accept it, Chuck was in control and as far as Raleigh knew, wasn't affected by the relationship negatively. In all the times they had met over the years, the man Chuck had been before the breach, had grown into a mature adult and... a brother.  
  
"If you ever need me..." He mumbled into Chuck's shoulder and he felt arms come up to return the embrace. "If you ever need anything-"  
  
"I know Raleigh," the Australian sighed, tightened his arms before letting go and Raleigh stepped back. Chuck dragged a hand over his head, and shrugged at him, little smile on his face. "Really... Thanks."  
  
There was still a tension but the American knew better than to push any more than he already had. So, he threw an arm over the younger man's shoulders and grinned. Grabbed up his bag, he began walking the way they came and dragged the other man along.  
  
"Hey, guess what? I'm getting married!" He announced with a grin and Chuck laughed, slipping his own arm around Raleigh's waist.  
  
"Who's the unfortunate victim?" Chuck smiled and Raleigh scoffed, smacking at the blond's head lightly.  
  
"Very funny..."


End file.
